News

By: Refilwe Mochoari

Spokesperson to the Free State Premier Matshediso Setai says she will stop at nothing to ensure that she ends corruption within the seventh administration of the Free State provincial government.

 “There is no doubt that when I came into this position in December last year, this government was under siege, and right now I am an enemy of the state because I have closed the taps of corruption.

“I want to make it clear to you right now, I did not forge anybody’s signature.

“There is clearly a smear campaign against my name, and the people who created these lies are clearly against progress,” Setai said.

Setai emphasised that not a cent of the current administration will be stolen under her watch.

Setai said this after allegations circulated on different media platforms, accusing her of fraud and forgery in soliciting funds from the Free State Department of Education for a content creators symposium that took place in Bloemfontein between 3 and 6 September 2025.

The reports accuse Setai of fraudulently crafting a letter, forging the signature of former Acting Director-General Dr Mafole Mokalobe in the office of the Premier, and sending it to the department head, Advocate Tshwarelo Malakoane.

The letter which is in the possession of Journal News states, “….As part of our collaborative approach, the office of the Premier is extending an invitation to your organisation (Free State Department of Education) to support this event through in-kind support. We would greatly appreciate contributions  such as any other goods or services that would enhance the success of the colloquium…..”

In an interview with Journal News, Setai says intergovernmental relations are nothing new.

“We have done the integrated approach before, where we ask other departments to collaborate with progressive programmers - there is nothing new here.”

She detailed how the department was approached by a group of “young” people who came up with the Digital Content Creator Colloquium which aimed to empower other young people in the digital technology space.

“They initially approached the President’s office, and then they were referred to their province’s Premier, and because it was just before youth month, we were prepared to partner with them.

“We then wrote a letter to the department of education asking for any kind of donation.

“We were hoping that the education department would pay for photography and videography services for that particular event.

“ We were then asked by the Chief Financial Officer in the Education department to amend the letter and make space for the HOD to sign, but not change the date.

“We edited the same letter and made provision for the HOD’s signature, kept the June date and because Molalobe was no longer acting as the DG, we sent the letter with no signature back to the education department.

“No one signed the second letter. I do not know who came up with these stories of forgery and it is clear that these corrupt officials are after me, and it is a political agenda against my name.

“As it is, I would like to state that the Digital Content Creators Colloquium received no funding from the office of the Premier and as a result the initiative was adopted by the Gauteng Provincial Government, because it is a brilliant initiative which aims to empower the youth,” Setai concluded.

… Authorities accused of turning a blind eye on blatant racial killing that contrasts false ‘white genocide’ narrative

By: Abigail Visagie

Abigail VisagieGreat public concern is rising over the silence of political parties and government following the killing of a black farmworker by a ‘racist’ white farmer in Kroonstad recently.

A decomposed body of black man, who has since been identified as Thabo Mashiya from Lesotho, was discovered in a shallow grave on a farm between Kroonstad and Welkom on 20 August 2025.

The owner of the farm, an 80-year-old retired doctor who has been described as blatant racist by his workers, was arrested and later granted R15 000 bail with the case being postponed to 9 October 2025 for further investigations to proceed.

It is alleged that farmer’s 17-year-old grandson, who is a minor, is the actual perpetrator in this murder incident and the farmer’s name is being withheld to protect the identity of this young perpetrator. They both face multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, reckless endangerment, and contraventions of the Firearms Control Act.

Given the prevailing silence that has shrouded the incident since the farmer was granted bail, members of the public have come out to express their concern over the lack of attention this matter is receiving. More especially following the false news reports peddled by white right-wing organisations of a ‘white genocide’ that is currently taking place in South Africa.

South Africa was turned into a global spectacle over these false claims with the United States president Donald Trump imposing these untruthful assertions on Cyril Ramaphosa and his delegation in the White House.

Critics have warned that this silence by political parties and government not only undermines justice but also emboldens perpetrators to carry out rural violence.

Community members in surrounding areas where this heinous racial crime was committed believe that failure to address the attack risks further damaging South Africa’s credibility abroad - particularly as conflicting narratives circulate internationally.

“Just a few months ago, nearly every political party made headlines over alleged farm killings targeting white farmers, but now that the roles are reversed and a white person is implicated, silence reigns as if nothing happened,” said one resident in Maokeng township, Kroonstad.

When the veil came off this incident, the elderly farmer implicated himself by publicly confessed to have killed black people before, under the pretext of being attacked on his farm.

He told the SABC: “I feel very bad because this is the second attack. The first time … the attacker shot at me from outside my house and missed because of his angle. I came back with a shotgun, and I killed him. If I am a farmer and you attack me, I will kill.”

Another local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, has since questioned the dubious narrative that the farmer claims to have killed in ‘self-defence’.

“I don’t understand why our leadership is not acting on this. No one seems to care about what transpired here and how this is potentially going to damage the country,” said a resident who asked not to be named.

Journal News reached out to political parties, who stressed that crime in South Africa should not be viewed through the lens of race but rather as a threat to the safety and well-being of all communities.

Freedom Front Plus (FF+) leader in the Free State, Jan van Niekerk, believes that the impact of farm killings on rural communities is severe, regardless of the victims or perpetrators.

“Our position remains consistent: farm murders and rural crime should be prioritised and addressed with urgency by government and law enforcement. Protecting the lives of all South Africans, irrespective of race, must come first.”

Roy Jankielsohn, the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province, is of the view that race only seems to take precedence only when a white person commits a crime against a person of colour.

“The DA has always maintained that crime has no race and that perpetrators should face the same consequences as any other criminal once proven guilty in court - regardless of race or gender,” he said.

Jankielsohn added that it is important not to ignore the fact that most farm attacks involve severe torture and brutality inflicted on white victims.

“It may be time for political parties such as the EFF to focus on why this brutality is directed at white people and to work towards common ground, because safety is more important than race, gender or skin colour,” he said.

The African National Congress (ANC) had not responded to Journal News at time of publishing this article.

The duo is trying to interdict the broadcast of a documentary series about them, due to be released on Friday.

The Pretoria High Court is set to hear a legal battle between convicted killer Thabo Bester and his accomplice, Nandipha Magudumana, and streaming service Netflix.

The duo is trying to interdict the broadcast of a documentary series about them, which is due to be released on Friday.

The matter is set to be heard on an urgent basis on Thursday.

Bester claims the documentary, Beauty and the Bester, makes serious, unfounded and defamatory submissions against him.

In a statement from his lawyers, he argues that the documentary is riddled with falsehoods, selective editing and is character assassination under the guise of a documentary.

Magudumana recently joined his legal bid to stop the screening of the docuseries on Friday as planned and advertised.

But this is not the first time that the pair has tried to block the airing of a production about them.

In 2024, the Johannesburg High Court dismissed their attempt to have a Showmax documentary canned, with Judge Stuart Wilson ruling that Bester’s lawyers failed to convince him that his right to a fair trial would be prejudiced by the screening of the series.

*This article was first published by Eye Witness News

This ruling examined parts of the Births and Deaths Registration Act and its regulations, which had previously prevented husbands from assuming their wives’ last names. 

The Constitutional Court has ruled that husbands can now take their wives’ surnames.

This ruling examined parts of the Births and Deaths Registration Act and its regulations, which had previously prevented husbands from assuming their wives’ last names.

Two couples approached the apex court, arguing that the prohibition served no government purpose.

Henry van der Merwe and Andreas Bornman were unable to assume their wives’ surnames because of the legislation.

On Thursday morning, the Constitutional Court declared parts of the Births and Deaths Registration Act invalid, saying the law discriminated on the basis of gender.

*This article was first published by Eye Witness News

A manhunt was underway Thursday after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally wounded at a university in Utah, a killing that sparked fears of worsening political violence in the United States.

President Donald Trump lashed out at the "radical left" after the shooting of Kirk, a powerful voice in conservative US politics at just 31 years old, and vowed to crack down on those responsible for what he described as "a dark moment for America."

"For years those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals," a somber-looking Trump said in a video message from the Oval Office just hours after Kirk's death.

"This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today.

"My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it."

Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Video from the scene showed him addressing a large crowd when the sound of a single shot rang out.

The father-of-two appeared to collapse in his chair before the camera swiftly moved and sounds of panic erupted in the audience.

The Utah Department of Public Safety said the shooter, dressed in dark clothing, fired from a nearby rooftop in what authorities called a "targeted attack."

Students at the university described the shooting as "crazy" and "scary".

"It makes me feel like I should be very careful about expressing my political ideas," said Samuel Kimball, a software engineering student, told AFP.

"If I was someone considering going into politics, I’d be afraid to get shot."

Confusion

The shooter remained at large despite door-to-door searches by federal, state and local officers.

Orem city mayor David Young said multiple law enforcement agencies were investigating but confirmed that the suspect had not yet been apprehended.

The FBI established a digital line for the public to share tips.

There was initial confusion over the manhunt, with FBI Director Kash Patel posting on social media platform X that the "subject" had been detained before walking that back an hour later.

Trump ordered flags on government buildings -- including the White House -- to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday in an illustration of how important Kirk was in the 79-year-old Republican's orbit.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, called the killing a "political assassination" and issued a stark warning to the perpetrator during an emotional news conference.

"I want to make it crystal clear right now to whoever did this: we will find you, we will try you, and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law," Cox said.

"And I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty here in the state of Utah."

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at the rally, told Fox News the shooting had happened while Kirk was doing a question-and-answer session with the crowd.

"First question was about religion. He went on for about 15-20 minutes. Second question, interestingly, was about transgender shooters, mass shooters, and in the midst of that, the shot rang out," a visibly shaken Chaffetz told the network.

"As soon as that shot went out, he fell back," he said. "Everybody hit the deck... a lot of people started screaming, and then everybody started running."

Turning point

Kirk had an outsized influence in US politics, powering Trump's support among younger voters -- a key factor in the Republican's return to power last year.

He co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, his natural showmanship turning him into a go-to spokesman on television networks.

Kirk used his enormous audiences on Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.

News of the shooting provoked horror across the political spectrum.

"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord," Vice President JD Vance posted on social media.

Figures on the left also condemned the attack and urged calm.

"There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now," former president Joe Biden wrote on X.

California Governor Gavin Newsom -- a frequent foil for right-wing figures like Kirk -- called the attack "disgusting, vile, and reprehensible."

Former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords -- a Democrat who herself survived an assassination attempt -- said she was "horrified" by the attack.

Kirk's killing came three months after a Minnesota man shot dead a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in their home.

*This article was first published by IOL News

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili has described South Africa as “one of the most attractive destinations for tourism investment,” as he launched the Tourism Doing Business Guide – Investing in South Africa at the country’s maiden Tourism Investment Summit.

Opening the high-level gathering of Tourism Ministers from Africa and industry stakeholders, Pololikashvili applauded South Africa for creating the right conditions for investors.

“From the iconic Table Mountain to the Kruger National Park where we will have the chance to attend the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Thursday, South Africa is a country which combines natural and cultural richness with world-class infrastructure, a resilient financial system, and a welcoming investment climate,” he said.

Highlighting South Africa’s strong tourism performance, the Secretary-General noted: “Last year alone, the country welcomed almost 9 million international arrivals, alongside 47 million domestic trips. Altogether, tourism contributes more than 12% of national GDP, with room for even more growth.”

The new Tourism Doing Business Guide was developed jointly with the South African Department of Tourism. According to Pololikashvili, “It provides investors with a practical roadmap of opportunities, incentives, and projects. It is designed to build confidence and facilitate concrete commitments.”

Beyond the national guide, UN Tourism also unveiled a landmark regional publication. “We will present an executive summary of the Investing in Africa guidebook. I am very excited about this publication. It’s the first time we have produced a report focused on investments for a whole region. That’s testament to Africa’s status as one of the most dynamic frontiers for global tourism investment,” Pololikashvili stated.

He explained that the new Africa-wide report “brings together the voices of both public and private stakeholders. It provides key data as well as insights from those shaping Africa’s tourism future. To date, we have published 7 editions for African countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Morocco, Mozambique, Mauritius and Tanzania. And we have editions for Angola, Cabo Verde and Kenya in the pipeline.”

For Pololikashvili, these initiatives underscore UN Tourism’s commitment to Africa: “Together, South Africa’s national guide and Africa’s regional roadmap send a clear message: tourism is not only open for investment, but ready to lead with sustainability, innovation and inclusion.”

He also stressed that investment in tourism must go beyond bricks and mortar. “Investing in tourism also means mobilizing resources to enable access to education and human capital development,” he emphasised. In line with this, he announced the delivery of “100 UN Tourism Online Academy Scholarships to South Africa to promote youth empowerment and quality education.”

Concluding his address, the Secretary-General paid tribute to South Africa for its leadership role: “I thank South Africa for providing the platform to launch this guide, reinforcing the country’s role as a gateway for Africa’s tourism development.”

*This article was first published by IOL News